MASKS: Do the right thing

My friend is married to a doctor who works at Kootenai Health treating COVID-19 patients and confirms they are full. I worry tremendously about victims of car or work accidents or heart attacks — which could be any one of us or our loved ones at any time — who need emergency help at the ER.

Other states’ doctors and hospitals are not going to look too kindly on taking our COVID-19 and accident patients if we continue to have a low rate of mask wearing here, especially going into winter.

I spent two weeks touring and camping in Washington and Oregon. Businesses in rural areas and tourist towns alike are thriving because everyone is wearing masks and going about life as usual. Restaurants are all providing options of socially dining in, staff wearing masks, outside patio dining with heaters, take out or delivery.

600-plus medical staff have already died from COVID-19 in the USA. Mask wearing AND 6-foot distancing is the most effective way to slow the spread until a safe vaccine is found, while protecting businesses, the economy, essential workers and hospitals per the many doctors in my family, concurring with Dr. Fauci and CDC. I hope we all think about the larger picture.

NANCY MERTZ

Coeur d’Alene